RBU-1200
The RBU-1200 (Russian: Реактивно-Бомбовая Установка, Reaktivno-Bombovaja Ustanovka; reaction engine-bomb installation & Смерч; waterspout) is a anti-submarine rocket launcher. The weapon system is remotely similar to the British Hedgehog anti submarine mortar launcher from the Second World War.
Description
The RBU-1200 system was developed in 1955 to provide anti-submarine capability against submarines and torpedoes by surface vessels. In order to allow installation on small warships the design was made very lightweight.
The RBU-1200 system has five tubes with rocket-propelled depth bombs per each launcher. Reloading is performed manually. The launcher cannot be swiveled horizontally, but rather has to be aimed by turning the entire warship, which is a serious disadvantage of the weapon system and limits its flexibility.
The system is controlled by a PUS-B "Uragan" fire control system.
The system uses RGB-12 rocket-propelled depth bombs,which are fitted with contact fuzes. The projectile is propelled by a solid rocket fuel motor initially, and for the rest of the flight it follows a ballistic arc. The effective range of the system extends from 400 to 1200 meters. The contact fuze K-3 / K-3M, or combined contact-delay fuze KDV are used as a detonators. K-3 / K-3M fuze detonates the warhead if a target is hit directly or if the projectile sinks to the bottom. The KDV fuze besides activating on impact on the target (or bottom) at the depths of 25-330 meters can also be set to activate upon reaching a specified depth in the range of 10-330 meters.[1]
Technical data[2]
Launcher
- Weight: 620 kg (empty)
- Length: 1.38 m
- Height: 1.1 m
- Width: 1,115 m
- Elevation: 0 to 51 °
- Traverse: 0°
RGB-12 projectile
- Weight: 73 kg
- Warhead: 30 kg
- Diameter: 251.7 mm
- Length: 1.24 m
- Range: 400 m to 1200 m
- Depth: up to 350 m
- Rate of descent: 6.25 m/s
Operators
Ship classes fitted with RBU-1200 (list not complete):
- Albanian Naval Force
- Bangladesh Navy
- People's Liberation Army Navy
- Bulgarian Navy
- Cuban Revolutionary Navy
- Egyptian Navy
- Finnish Navy
- Indonesian Navy
- Indian Navy
- Libyan Navy
- Myanmar Navy
- Polish Navy
- Romanian Naval Forces
- Soviet Navy
Russian Navy- Project 1241.2 (Pauk class)
- Project 266M (Natya class)
- Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser
- Syrian Navy
- Vietnam People's Navy
Vietnam People's Ground Force- Installed on Vietnam People's Navy's decommissioned Project 201 subchasers. Usable systems are transferred to the Vietnam People's Ground Force for ground-attacking roles.
Refurbishing, upgrading and resembling projects are reported.[3]
- Installed on Vietnam People's Navy's decommissioned Project 201 subchasers. Usable systems are transferred to the Vietnam People's Ground Force for ground-attacking roles.
- Volksmarine
- Project 12 (Hai-class)
See also
References
- ^ "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- ^ "Việt Nam dùng rocket chống ngầm RBU-1200 để tấn công mặt đất". datviet.trithuccuocsong.vn. 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
- The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Systems 1997-1998
- Warfare.ru Smerch system
- "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.